Boris to the U. S.

Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovitch, brother of Grand Duke Kyrill, self-styled "Tsar of All the Russias" and cousin of the late Tsar, boarded at Cherbourg the liner Olympic which forthwith churned her way through many miles of water United States ward.

Shortly afterwards, "the smiling, swarthy, confident little Socialist from New York," Congressman Fiorello H. La Guardia, wrote a letter to U. S. Secretary of Labor Davis. He asserted that "this Grand Duke Boris" was coming to the U. S. He wanted Secretary Davis to make sure that the Grand Duke was not likely to become a public charge. Said he; "I believe the department would be justified in ascertaining whether these repudiated, unemployed and shiftless dukes and archdukes are not coming here with the intention of overthrowing our republican form of government in the hope of establishing a monarchy. According to newspaper reports, people clamored and paid admission for the purpose of curtseying and kissing the hand of these pretenders (reference to the recent visit of the Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna (TIME, Dec. 15) in a manner so un-American that it would have been shocking were it not so ridiculously stupid."

Such a bald attack upon the princely member of a kingly house was quickly answered. Edward S. Rothchild, President of the Chelsea Exchange Bank, Manhattan, said that Congressman La Guardia's letter was "outrageous." Another characterized the reference to overthrowing the U. S. Government as the "bombastic utterances of a political nonentity." Others made haste to state that the Grand Duke was not a pauper: he was coming with 22 trunks; the Duchess was bringing 100 Parisian gowns; (he was bringing his mother-in-law and a secretary; he had two large bank accounts in Manhattan.

Hardly had this hubbub died down than the Grand Duke arrived, landed. With him were the Grand Duchess, whom Boris married in Paris six years ago; Mme. Rachevsky, mother-in-law; Princess Natalie, niece; Baron Nicholas Crown, secretary. The Grand Duke--a man just over medium height, 47 years old, with a quizzical round face on the top of which grows a fringe of dark hair turning grey and into which is set a pair of jovial, navy-blue eyes--was highly delighted to be in the U. S. Even the assaults of the everlasting newspaper squad could not extinguish the fire of his joy.

The following questions, put to Boris by unsatiable and inexhaustible journalists, were satisfactorily answered.

Q.--''What did you come to the U. S. for?"

A.--"I am here for pleasure only, 1 wish my wife to see America. This is my first visit to this country since 1902, and 1 look forward to enjoying it very much."

Q.--"Do you think a Tsarist restoration possible?"

A.--"Yes, I do, because the majority of the Russian people understand that form of government better than any other. I do not know when it will be, but there are signs of the Soviet regime breaking up now through the internal Struggle among the Communists."

Q.--"What do you think of Grand Duke Nikolai's chances of becoming Tsar?"

A.--"He is only a second cousin of the late Tsar.* He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, but not the heir to the throne."

Q.--"Has the Grand Duchess got 100 Parisian gowns?"

A.--''Such news is too good to be true. Unfortunately she has only 25."

Q.--"Have you got $1,000,000 on deposit in Manhattan banks?"

A.--Here Boris took an amber cigarette holder from his mouth, blew slowly a vast cloud of smoke, said: "I have some money here. The amount I cannot say."

Q.--"Is your trip to the U. S. financed by any of your wealthy friends?"

A.--"No. I came entirely on my own hook, just for the pleasure of the thing."

He was then shown a clipping of Representative La Guardia's letter.

"How interesting!" exclaimed Boris with much amusement. "In Russia we have an old proverb: 'When the wind howls, the dogs bark.' Let him spit.''

* Fiorello H. La Guardia, squat and dark, with a voice twice the size of himself, was born in Manhattan 42 years ago. In 1901. . he joined the U. S. Consular Service, served at Budapest, Trieste and Fiume. In 1907, he became official interpreter at Ellis Island. In 1910 he began the practice of law; five short years later found him Deputy Attorney-General of New York State.

Came the War. Mr. La Guardia joined the U. S. Flying Force, was sent to the land of his ancestors and many a time flew across the Italo-Austrian lines to drop bombs by day and by night. Apres la guerre, he returned to his native land, capitalized his record as hero, ran for Congress and was victoriously returned, as a Republican. He but in 1924 was re-elected on a Socialist ticket, later became identified with the Insurgents, Boris is ignorant. The Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaievitch is a first cousin once removed of the late Tsar, and is detested by Boris and his big brother Kyrill, although beloved by the late Tsar's mother, the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna.